Slept in until around 9 and then walked up the hill about 30 minutes to the funicular that takes you most of the rest of the way up into the Trialeti Mountains, at the top is an (out of season) amusement park, a giant radio tower and lots of green space, spent the morning hiking around the hilltops and enjoying the view.

View from the top

Walking around an abandoned amusement park felt very Scooby-Doo, I loved it.

Me

Around noon I headed back down the mountain looking for lunch. I was sitting at the intersection in the pic below listening to music when three young backpack girls walked by, they turned and said something in some language, said “Sorry, what?”…

“Oh! Do you speak ENGLISH, YES!!”

They were lost and confused, looking for the National Gallery, my place is right by there so I knew exactly where they needed to go and also that it is closed today, we chatted a bit and the one girl said “Wow, how long have you been in Tbilisi?.. hahaha, four days!

I also love the pic, very representative of most of Tbilisi, both the style and the condition.

One funny thing I have noticed here is that those locals who speak German automatically address me in German, one older gentleman today said “Oh, I would have bet you were German!” I said “I am!” we chatted a bit, not sure what his background is but he spoke at least five langauges, we chatted about the Soviet Union and religion and all the hits.

I’ve never seen Christians like this before, they are serious about it, people cross themselves in the street all the time and pray in public, when they come into view of a church they back away repeatedly crossing themselves… widows wear all black… really interesting stuff.

Lunch!

Khinkali, one of the two national dishes of Georgia, huge dumplings filled with spicey broth and ground meat. Exactly as good as it looks.

After lunch I popped home for a quick nap, been feeling like I need that the past few days, again I suspect the allergies. Then out walking around again, most of Tbilisi is really old, attractively rundown stone buildings and castle walls but the city also has an initiative to build ultra modern buildings, the juxtaposition works more often than it doesn’t, the Tbilisi Concert Hall below is gorgeous.

Also the gorgeous new Peace Bridge, a pedestrian only walking bridge over the river, at night it lights up with different patterns and colours.

Other times the modern architecture thing doesnt work quite as well…

Things got a little grey later in the afternoon, in this pic I am hiding on the bridge out of the rain.

Dinner!

Khachapuri Adjaruli, a boat of hot bread fresh from the oven with salty cheese a raw egg or two and a ton of butter, a healthy well rounded meal. Also beer.

Passed by the churchkhela lady on my walk home after dinner, she laughs when she sees me coming now.